Vilma urges rejection of Goodell motion to dismiss

NEW ORLEANS — Jon Vilma urged a federal judge Friday to reject NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's motion to dismiss the defamation lawsuit filed against him by the Saints' linebacker.

Vilma's request to U.S. District Judge Ginger Berrigan argues Goodell acted with “reckless disregard for the truth” when basing initial allegations about Vilma upon one fired Saints assistant, Mike Cerullo, whose testimony has been inconsistent and challenged by other witnesses in the NFL's bounty probe of the Saints.

The motion centers on Goodell's public comments that Vilma held up $10,000 cash in a team meeting in 2010, offering it to anyone who knocked Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner out of a playoff game.

During recent NFL appeal hearings in the bounty case, former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams testified he never saw any money.

“Williams has always told Goodell, and continues to state, that there was never any cash put up for a bounty on any player. It was 'just talk,'” Vilma's motion reads. “Nonetheless, Goodell irresponsibly chose to contend that Vilma walked around with $10,000 before the Cardinals' game.”

Vilma's season-long suspension and with various shorter bans for three other players were thrown out Tuesday by former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who Goodell had appointed to oversee the appeals of player punishment.

The NFL continues to allege that Vilma offered a $10,000 to anyone who knocked then-Minnesota QB Brett Favre out of the 2010 NFC title game.